Bangor man arrested after calling San Francisco man a ‘sexual slur’

BANGOR, Maine — A local man who apparently repeatedly called a man from San Francisco a sexual slur caused a Tuesday night fight at Longhorn Steakhouse and was arrested, Sgt. Paul Edwards said on Wednesday.

Three Bangor police officers were called to the Hogan Road restaurant at 9:45 p.m. to deal with Kevin Schmersal, 58, who got into a fight with a group of five men and one woman — at least one of whom was from San Fransisco — at the restaurant’s bar, the sergeant said. The California city is known for its gay community.

After finding out the victim was from San Francisco, “Mr. Schmersal then allegedly made a derogatory remark about his sexuality based on his hometown,” Edwards said in a statement.

“He thought it was his right to say whatever he wanted,” the police sergeant added Wednesday, saying he was barred from releasing exactly what Schmersal called the visiting man.

The California man’s son became upset by Schmersal’s remarks and he and others in the group began fighting with Schmersal.

“There were actually punches thrown, but no one got hit,” Edwards said.

Bangor police Officers Kim Donnell, Gary Decker and Richard Polk went to Longhorn and found the group outside the restaurant waiting to talk to them, while Schmersal and his wife, Patti, waited inside.

When Donnell and Decker interviewed Schmersal, “that is when he became irate and continued to try and justify using that word,” Edwards said. “Then he just lunged at Officer Kim Donnell in an aggressive manner” and was subdued by the officers and then arrested.

Schmersal was charged with disorderly conduct and taken to Penobscot County Jail but was later released, he said. If convicted of the disorderly conduct charge, he could face up to a year in jail and a fine of up to $2,000.

“The case is being forwarded to the Attorney General’s Office for review in order to see if any hate crime laws have been violated,” Edwards said.

The Schmersals appeared in the Bangor Daily News at the end of March in a story about criticism from neighbors concerning their home-based dog breeding operation and kennel on Pushaw Road.